Nearly two years removed from a neck surgery that kept him out of football for an entire year, Peyton Manning is feeling stronger than ever. The Denver Broncos quarterback certainly was not a slouch in his first year with a team not named the Indianapolis Colts, but Manning believes that 2013 will be even better and most of that is due to comfort level.
In an interview with Sirius XM Radio, Manning said he feels much stronger entering this season. He was able to have an offseason filled with workouts and strength training. He is healthy. He told the radio hosts that his reaction time is better and he is getting the ball out faster. As training camp continues, the quarterback is seeing more improvement with each passing day.
"Last year, maybe I did have a little bit more limited range," Manning said. "I could throw the deep ball, but boy it had to be on time. Now I feel like maybe, if there's bump and run coverage any maybe move out of the pocket because there's an inside rush, you can still move and still let it go and hit that guy."
Manning was certainly a force last season, so the idea that he feels even better is a bit scary. In 2012, the Broncos finished with the NFL's best record as Manning recorded 4,659 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. He also had his second-best quarterback rating of 105.8.
In 2013, those passing yards could easily increase. Manning is entering his second season with almost the same set of wide receivers so his familiarity will continue to grow. Not to mention, Denver signed Wes Welker in the offseason to add to their already impressive line of offensive weapons.
"I do feel better and I think it's because I have better familiarity with my receivers," Manning said. "When you know how Eric Decker is going to come out of a route or how Demaryius Thomas is going to come out of a break, you should throw the ball with a little more confidence which, hopefully in turn, should have a little more heat on the ball, getting there sooner."
While Manning is known as primarily a pocket passer, the quarterback lined up in the pistol formation during his brief appearance in the team's preseason debut game. The Broncos are taking some time in the offseason to experiment with the latest NFL craze. While Manning is not known for being the most mobile quarterback, head coach John Fox said the team is looking to expand and will continue to try and grow the offense.
